Snooker: WSA Blames Global Warming!

Well, ...I've heard it all now. All the players are complaining about the table conditions, how the balls are "pinging" or speeding up of the cushions and also squaring up. Here's one that I never thought I would hear from the World Snooker Association, they're blaming Global Warming!

A WSA statement read, "The temperature inside the Crucible was above what we consider the optimum as a result of unusually warm weather,"

"We've brought the temperature back to optimum and re-clothed the tables."

According to the Met Office, April could be the warmest since records began. It is true that heat can speed up the table by drying the fine cloths quickly but it doesn't really explain the unpredictable cushions.

Isn't the Crucible air conditioned? Air conditioning is great, what you can do is set it to a particular temperature regardless of the temperature outside the venue. So whether the ice caps are melting, your elderly next door neighbour is freezing to death on his way home from the shops, or Miami is getting hit by a category 5 hurricane, a snooker player can feel quite comfortable in his waistcoat and bow tie. If the Crucible isn't air conditioned, then what are they doing there!?

Let's hope the snooker table conditions improve so we can see some great high quality snooker with no excuses from the players.